Your Memories Stay With Me

Chapter 13: His Lies

James slowly opens his eyes with a frown on his lips from the slight discomfort in his body. He groggily sat up, resting his back on the headboard, and stopped upon noticing the empty side of the bed. His hand slowly patted around for a bit before it retracted back to his side. He blankly looked down, dreading the coldness he felt on the skin of his palm, which indicates the amount of time a body heat has left the space next to him. He then folded his knees, covered with thick white fabric, and hugged them over his naked chest before burying his face.

"It's cold," James softly muttered under his breath as his hand tightly clutched the duvet covering his lower body. He stayed in that position for a few minutes with his mind running a thousand miles thinking about things that made his heart skip a painful beat, unaware of the subtle shuffling coming from behind the door before it slowly opened. His knuckles turned white as his grip on the white fabric tightened before he abruptly raised his head at the feeling of a hand softly caressing the side of his head. 

"Baby, is something wrong?" Net worriedly asked.

James did not answer and just stared at the older man, who worriedly knitted his brow before slowly sitting down on the side of the bed. His hand's deathly grip on the duvet slowly loosened as his shoulder relaxed before he leans in to the warm touch of Net. 

"Are you hurting somewhere?" Net asked again, worries never leaving his face.

"Hmm, no, I'm fine." James softly shook his head and responded in a soft voice.

"You sure?" Net cupped the younger man's face and smiled when the latter nodded his head while giggling as the older softly stroked the apple of his cheek. 

"I already prepared some food. Let's have brunch—more like an early dinner," Net lightly tilted his head to the side and said before chuckling upon taking a glimpse of the digital clock that reads 56 past 3 o'clock. 

James just chuckled as he leans forward to hide his face in the crooked of the older's neck, the tip of his ears reddening from embarrassment upon remembering last night's event. He bit his bottom lip and lightly slapped Net's thigh when the latter teasingly blew on his ear and huskily laughed, causing the hair on his body to stand on ends.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" James asked in a muffled voice as he kept his head buried in the older's neck.

"I was just about to wake you up." Net's hands shifted to the back of James' head, and started running his fingers through his hair.

James lightly shook his head and leaned back to look at the bronze-skinned man who was fondly looking at him. 

"I meant much earlier," said James, and grabbed the hand that was playing with his hair.

"The sun was about to shine when you went to bed and you were tired. I only decided to wake you up now so you can eat." Net paused for a second and smiled at James, who was intently looking at him before he continued. 

"Get up for now; you can continue sleeping after you eat your fill," he added, to which the younger man shook his head.